Local adult learners capture Hunterian Museum collection on film

Info

07 July 2010

A new short film, Encounters: 10 words to John Hunter, will be screened at the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS). The film, which runs from Tuesday 6th July until the end of September 2010, has been produced in collaboration with adults aged 60 and over from the Mary Ward Centre for Adult Education in Bloomsbury, and explores some of the historic specimens and surgical instruments on display at the medical museum.

The eight minute movie showcases the film-making skills of eleven local adult learners who use mixed audio and video clips to explain their own personal interpretation of some of the fascinating specimens on display at the Hunterian Museum, including Winston Churchill’s dentures and a two-tailed lizard.

Eve Ramon, from the Mary Ward Centre over 60’s club said:

“Making this film has been a wonderful experience, it has allowed me to developed new technical skills, appreciate the intricate detail of parts of the human anatomy, and discover a wonderful museum on my doorstep.”

Jane Hughes, Head of Learning and Access at the Hunterian Museum said:

“Medicine at the Movies was an excellent project that brought the museum together with older learners from the local community. The film that they produced has given us unique personal insights into the museum’s collections and helped the learners to develop new skills and confidence about working with new technology.”

Encounters: 10 words to John Hunter will also be available to watch online from today. It is one of twelve films that groups of adult learners across the UK have produced through the Medicine at the Movies project; which aims to encourage adults to develop the skills and knowledge to embrace new technology.

Stills from the film are available on request.

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Notes to Editors

1. The Royal College of Surgeons of England is committed to enabling surgeons to achieve and maintain the highest standards of surgical practice and patient care. Registered charity number: 212808. For more information please visit: www.rcseng.ac.uk

2. The Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons of England is based on the collections of the 18th-century surgeon John Hunter. Its permanent displays include over 3,500 specimens of human and animal anatomy and pathology, as well as exhibitions about surgery and medicine. The museum is open to all and admission is free. See: www.rcseng.ac.uk/museums

3. The Medicines at the Movies project is collaboration between the six members of the UK Medical Collections Group (UKMCG), funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Each museum has worked with a diverse group of adult learners from their local community to produce a film. See the other films.